Volume 03 Issue 06-2023
35
International Journal Of Literature And Languages
(ISSN
–
2771-2834)
VOLUME
03
ISSUE
06
Pages:
35-39
SJIF
I
MPACT
FACTOR
(2021:
5.
705
)
(2022:
5.
705
)
(2023:
6.
997
)
OCLC
–
1121105677
Publisher:
Oscar Publishing Services
Servi
ABSTRACT
The Gothic novel, which appeared in English literature in the late XVIII and early XIX centuries, influenced the works of
outstanding writers of all subsequent periods. The description of supernatural elements in the Gothic novel filled the
reader with horror and fear. The genre of the Gothic novel, known in some sources as the "black novel", is widely
developed, primarily in English literature. Gothic novels play an important role not only in English but also in world
literature. They had a significant impact on the further development of many literary movements, both in Europe and
in other parts of the world.
KEYWORDS
Gothic novel, mysticism, danger, horror, terror, mystery, villain, Chrono tope, villain.
INTRODUCTION
The title of the Gothic novel comes from the style of
Gothic architecture, as the setting in these types of
novels was often set in old Gothic fortresses. In the
XVIII-XIX centuries. The gothic novel was one of the
most widely read works in Europe. Gothic literature is
usually understood as "the literature of the mysterious
and terrible". The presence of the supernatural and
terrible, causing a feeling of fear, becomes a
fundamental feature of the Gothic novel. The Gothic
genre appeared in literature against the backdrop of
fears. The horror that is present in the gothic genre is
accompanied by fantastic stories and sometimes
extraordinary events. The heroes of gothic novels
often suffer from a deep sense of loneliness and
pessimism experienced by grief. The fears of the
heroes of these novels are conveyed to the reader
through artistic means. Often these feelings are
manifested against the background of mystical events.
Howard Lovecraft, in his study Supernatural Horror in
Literature, wrote: “Fear is the oldest and strongest of
Research Article
GOTHIC FEATURES IN KEVIN RYAN’S NOVEL “VAN HELSING”
Submission Date:
June 11, 2023,
Accepted Date:
June 16, 2023,
Published Date:
June 21, 2023
Crossref doi:
https://doi.org/10.37547/ijll/Volume03Issue06-06
Lobar Islamovna Namozova
Master Degree Student Of Turkestan New Innovations University, Uzbekistan
Journal
Website:
https://theusajournals.
com/index.php/ijll
Copyright:
Original
content from this work
may be used under the
terms of the creative
commons
attributes
4.0 licence.
Volume 03 Issue 06-2023
36
International Journal Of Literature And Languages
(ISSN
–
2771-2834)
VOLUME
03
ISSUE
06
Pages:
35-39
SJIF
I
MPACT
FACTOR
(2021:
5.
705
)
(2022:
5.
705
)
(2023:
6.
997
)
OCLC
–
1121105677
Publisher:
Oscar Publishing Services
Servi
human feelings, and the oldest and strongest fear is
the fear of the unknown.”
“Whatever is fitted in any sort to excite the ideas of
pain and danger, that is to say, whatever is in any sort
terrible, or is conversant about terrible objects, or
operates in a manner analogous to terror, is a source
of the sublime; that is, it is productive of the strongest
emotion which the mind is capable of feeling.” The
main feature of the "Gothic" novel is the reader's
feelings of horror and fear. English novelist Ann
Radcliffe identifies two types of fear: horror-fear of
disgust and terror-fear of attraction. She notes terror -
based on obscurity and semi-distinctness, enriches the
soul and sharpens perception, while horror -
suppresses, cools and almost destroys all spiritual
abilities. Of course, the line between terror and horror
is rather arbitrary: they can be used equally in the same
work. Horror, however, is more primitive; it indicates
with shocking clarity what to fear for readers and
heroes: suffering, torture, physical death, and so on. A
terror (terror) is based on the work of the imagination,
which is "spurred on" by subtle details. These are “...
narrative techniques designed by vague hints, vague
suggestions to arouse the reader’s quivering curiosity,
awaken in him vague guesses and forebodings, make
him rush along the wrong track so that after long
wanderings in the labyrinth of the unknown, he again
finds himself in the face of an insoluble mystery”. In
addition, terror requires considerable skill in order not
to cause more fear than pleasure.
To enhance the effect of horror, the authors of Gothic
literature use a number of elements and symbols:
The place of action - in the Gothic novel is the
cornerstone - the narrative is built on it. Most often,
especially in early Gothic novels, this is a castle. As the
genre develops, a monastery, a cathedral, a cemetery,
a small settlement, a Gothic mansion or a house also
become the most frequent setting. The scene itself is
characterized by a gloomy, terrifying atmosphere:
intricate corridors, secret passages, dark basements,
stairs, antique objects, paintings, books, occult
symbols, crypts, dug up graves. This is the description
given to Count Dracula's castle in Kevin Ryan's Van
Helsing: “Now they both looked at the majestic
medieval castle, which, as it seemed, was entirely
carved from the black rock that belonged to the
mountain ranges that surrounded this impregnable
fortress on all sides. They don't build castles like that
anymore, Van Helsing thought. However, if you take a
closer look at this fortress, you could guess that such
castles have never been built. Not in the fifteenth
century, when Dracula was killed, or anywhere else.
The size of the castle was amazing. Next to its huge
spiers and crenellated battlements, any other structure
that Van Helsing had seen in his entire life would have
seemed tiny. It seems that the foundation of the
fortress seemed to take root in the mountain, and its
three towers seemed to grow out of the black rock. It
seemed that this building was not built at some time,
but was a natural stone monolith. Two bridges
connecting somewhere at the top of the tower with
each other, perhaps, remained the only reminder that
people still worked here and this was their work, and
not the product of some unknown dark forces of
na
ture.” Often this is accompanied by strange sounds,
unexpected gusts of wind, a frightening play of light
and shade, the appearance of "demonic" animals, such
as a black cat, crow, wolf or bat: “Anna turned to head
for Valerious Manor . . . and then for the first time in her
life
Volume 03 Issue 06-2023
37
International Journal Of Literature And Languages
(ISSN
–
2771-2834)
VOLUME
03
ISSUE
06
Pages:
35-39
SJIF
I
MPACT
FACTOR
(2021:
5.
705
)
(2022:
5.
705
)
(2023:
6.
997
)
OCLC
–
1121105677
Publisher:
Oscar Publishing Services
Servi
saw a werewolf in the flesh. The monster loomed
above her, blocking her path. It
was more than seven feet tall, powerfully muscled, and
standing on its hind legs
like a man, its breath blowing white vapor in the cool
moonlit night. The creature's
face was more wolf than human, with large pointed
ears and a pronounced snout
with large canine teeth. The only quality that
distinguished it from the face of an
animal was the terrible intelligence in its eyes.”
The presence of one or more secrets that are certainly
related to the main character. Revealing the mystery is
delayed until the very end. Secondary and side secrets,
also revealed in the final, are usually added to the
central secret. In a gothic novel, an unusual
protagonist is very important, who can solve the
mystery. The secret, as a rule, is associated with the
main character, who, overcoming trials, is approaching
"to reveal the fatal secret and at the same time to
know himself - his roots, origin, true character". Due to
memory loss, his past is shrouded in mystery. The
secret order of the Vatican uses it to protect humanity
from evil spirits, convincing Van Helsing that he is the
chosen one and God is testing his faith for strength. He
was sure that the Vatican knew much more about his
past and about his personality in general. “Not an
answer, exactly-at least, not the kind that Van Helsing
was looking for. How much did the cardinal know
about his past, his identity? More than he would say
today, that much was certain. Nevertheless, the
cardinal was right: His faith was being tested.
Somehow, he hoped that knowing his past would
make it easier for him to bear the terrible price of his
work, or perhaps leave it behind. A weariness
descended on him and weighed on more than div.
”
The very nature of the plot requires the
presence of a villain. Almost no "Gothic" work is
complete without a villain. He is the true hero of the
Gothic novel; the development of the action depends
on him. The villain of Gothic literature is an
unforgettable and negative image. The mystery of the
origin and past of such characters, the unusual and
incomprehensible nature of their current life, their
majestic and gloomy appearance and inexplicable
power over people around them, sometimes
suggesting their inhuman, supernatural nature - all this
arouses genuine curiosity of readers and attracts
attention right up to the last chapters of the novel.
Writers usually endow villains with tall stature, a stern
and pale face, and, of course, a piercing gaze. Here is
how the author describes Count Dracula in the novel:
“Victor went to the front door and came face
-to-face
with a tall man standing in the entryway. He was
dressed all in black, a long coat
draping his div. The clothing was formal and had a
vaguely military look, of a
style Victor had never seen before. Most unusual was
his hair, which was long,
dark, and pulled back, away from his face. Perhaps the
oddest thing about him was
the single earring he wore in his left ear-a small golden
hoop. Clearly, the count
Volume 03 Issue 06-2023
38
International Journal Of Literature And Languages
(ISSN
–
2771-2834)
VOLUME
03
ISSUE
06
Pages:
35-39
SJIF
I
MPACT
FACTOR
(2021:
5.
705
)
(2022:
5.
705
)
(2023:
6.
997
)
OCLC
–
1121105677
Publisher:
Oscar Publishing Services
Servi
was nobility, but Victor had never known an aristocrat
who wore an earring. The count's features were
striking, with pronounced cheekbones and very dark
hair. If Victor had had to guess, he would have said the
man was perhaps thirty,
just a little older than Victor himself. His guest certainly
looked like a man in the
prime of youth, but there was something odd about his
eyes, which looked older
than his face-much older. Victor found himself drawn
to those eyes. They were
electric, intense, and . . . war
m?”
An important theme of the Gothic novel is related to
time. All the secrets of the present and future are
always rooted in the past, and in order to determine
them, the main characters rush into the past, which are
in the same space with them. Dracula, who made a deal
with the devil, was imprisoned by his father in an ice
palace. The only entrance to Dracula's castle was
hidden on the map of Transylvania, which was located
in the castle of Valerius. Anna's father said that once
Dracula lived in this castle, but now no one knew about
his current whereabouts. He stared at the map for
hours looking for this entrance, but he couldn't find it
because of the missing part of the map. When Van
Helsing attached the manuscript and read the
inscription on it, the map begins to change and turns
into an ancient mirror, through which they eventually
enter Dracula's castle. According to researcher Ashley
Prosser, "The signifying power of the space of a Gothic
castle is chronotopic precisely because it lies in its
ability to act as a physical conduit for the paradoxical
return of these troubled past years to an often equally
troubled present."
Romance often plays a significant role in gothic
fiction, as writers weave an element of death into
romantic relationships to create tension and capture
the reader's emotions.
Conclusion: Having reviewed the main features
of the plot and techniques of the traditional gothic
novel, we analyzed Kevin Ryan's novel "Van Helsing"
and it is not difficult to see that the novel is replete with
motifs and images characteristic of this kind of
literature. Masterfully used by the author, the methods
of forcing anxiety make the novel especially
interesting, not allowing the reader to relax for a
second.
REFERENCES
1.
Edmund Berk, Part I, Section VII: Of the
sublime
2.
Bakhshilloyevna, Khamdamova Sitora, and
Yusupova Hilola Uktamovna. “SYMBOLISM IN
WILLIAM BUTLER YEATS’POETRY”. Central
Asian Journal of Literature, Philosophy and
Culture 2.5 (2021): 131-135.
3.
Bakhshilloyevna,
Khamdamova
Sitora.
"CRITICAL REVIEW OF LITERATURE ON
SYMBOLISM
IN
WILLIAM
BUTLER
YEATS’POETRY." Euro
-Asia Conferences. Vol. 3.
No. 1. 2021.
4.
Готический роман / Г. В. Заломкина //
Большая российская энциклопедия : [в 35 т.]
/ гл. ред. Ю. С. Осипов. —
М. : Большая
российская энциклопедия, 2004—
2017.
5.
Готический
роман
//
Литературная
энциклопедия терминов и понятий / Под ред.
Volume 03 Issue 06-2023
39
International Journal Of Literature And Languages
(ISSN
–
2771-2834)
VOLUME
03
ISSUE
06
Pages:
35-39
SJIF
I
MPACT
FACTOR
(2021:
5.
705
)
(2022:
5.
705
)
(2023:
6.
997
)
OCLC
–
1121105677
Publisher:
Oscar Publishing Services
Servi
А. Н. Николюкина. —
Институт научной
информации по общественным наукам РАН:
Интелвак, 2001. —
Стб. 184—
186.
—
1596
Kevin Ryan, Van Helsing. HarperCollins
Entertainment.
–
2004.
–
272 p.
